Der Ansturm
Part 1 . was in the midst of battle. The elite forces of the , the dreadful , cut a bloody swath through the rapidly diminishing ranks of the . The Soul Reapers struggled and fought to the death, dying one by one, in dozens, hundreds. Most Captains and their Lieutenants were hopelessly locked in combat, and their Divisions remained leaderless and confused - an easy prey for the well-organised enemy. In the fresh ruins of buildings nearby the 5th Division barracks, two Shinigami hid behind a felled pillar. They were surrounded with rubble, smoke and the dead bodies of their late subordinates. "What should we do?", asked desperately Kana Enodoriko, the 4th Seat Officer of the . She was a petite young woman with long, light brown hair and blue eyes. "Don't ask me, I've got no bloody idea", replied Fudo Shōdo, the 3rd Seat of the same unit. He was a muscular, if slightly overweight dark-skinned man with a crew cut. "Where is ?", asked Enodoriko, cautiously looking out from their temporary hiding place. "He's probably fightin' one of those monsters right now", guessed Shōdo. Then, a bedazzling orb of blue light emerged from amongst the buildings some distance away, rising rapidly to the sky. Suddenly, it exploded with a loud, firework-like sound. "Take cover!" A shower of spiritual energy rained upon the area, resulting in a series of plentiful small explosions. Previously demolished buildings almost turned into ashes, leaving little still standing within a considerable radius. "Damn it, he's here!", exclaimed Kana. "You're damn right", responded Fudo, walking from beyond the pillar. Enodoriko was frightened, but followed him shortly. She felt insecure and exposed, but she knew that there was no way to hide from a Sternritter. "So, you finally decide to face me", a distant, very deep voice said. A remarkably tall and broad-shouldered figure approached them unhurriedly. The man stopped about 10 metres from them, examining them closely with a solemn expression on his face. The man was clad in white, monkish clothing with elaborate epaulettes and light-blue ornaments. He was bald, but had a prominent, well-kept dark brown beard and moustache and thick eyebrows. His eyes were pale blue and delivered an unsettling, piercing gaze. On his right hand there was a large, ornate bracelet. An unusually shaped little cross was chained to it and dangled freely whilst the man moved his hand. "Are you ready to receive the divine punishment and to pay for the sins of your ancestors?", asked the Sternritter. "Spare us this bullshit", replied Shōdo. "You call this massacre "divine punishment"? You're murderers", he added with growing fury. "Fools! Don't contempt what you don't comprehend." "Contempt this!", responded Fudo before the Sternritter could continue. "Flare up, Nenshō Kanetsu-ro!" He gripped his nodachi-like two-handed and made a sudden, vertical slash. Both the sword and its wielder glowed with red energy. Then, the Zanpakutō promptly transformed into a large sledge-hammer, with a furnace-like head outfitted with an exhaust pipe on its back. Flames erupted from it with a loud roar. "Bakuhatsu!", shouted the 3rd Seat Officer, slamming his Zanpakutō on the ground. The granite tiles exploded. A single shining, scarlet crack bursting with energy rushed toward the motionless Quincy. When it reached him, he was suddenly engulfed in a big, fiery explosion. Part 2 Still engulfed in a cloud of smoke, the two Shinigami waited on pins as it slowly cleared. "Did you get him?", asked Enodoriko with hesitation. "Don't be silly", responded Shōdo, his face stiff with a grimace. As the smoke cleared off, the Sternritter emerged unharmed. Despite its flashiness, the attack did not even singe him. "My, my, you are all the same. Fierce, stubborn, narrow-minded", declared the Quincy with condescending pity. "You are a stain on the God's creation, and as such I shall erase you at once." "Enodoriko-san, I need your help. Distract him with your Shikai and I'll get him with a melee attack", whispered Fudo to his companion, completely ignoring the opponent's lofty words. "Got it", she replied, gathering the strength to fight. She lifted her katana over her head and started rotating it with one hand, so fast its blade became a blur. "Spin around, Kamisori Bōshi!", she exclaimed. The Zanpakutō shone briefly and widened significantly, changing its shape into a big, six-bladed shuriken with a hole in its centre, where the handle was now located. "Shi no Senkai-ha!" She threw the Zanpakutō with incredible speed. It rushed toward the Sternritter who remained completely unfazed. It unexpectedly omitted him almost in the last second, flew toward the sky and started to circle around him. Kana raised her hands outstretched. Then, she quickly lowered one of them, and her Zanpakutō followed the movement, rapidly speeding at the Quincy. Just as it was about to hit him, he calmly raised his right hand, effortlessly deflecting it with his ornate bracelet. Not discouraged by that display, Enodoriko continued her assault, attempting to confuse her enemy with her Zanpakutō's remarkable velocity and attacking him from different directions repeatedly, striking sparks on each impact. All of a sudden, Fudo appeared right next to the almost motionless Sternritter, with his hammer raised high. "Ryūsei!", he screamed. The exhaust pipe erupted with a powerful flame, emitting a loud roar, and the head's grill-like surface glowed with red, heat-like spiritual energy. The 3rd Seat struck down, hitting the defensively positioned bracelet of his opponent with great force. Flames burst forth on the impact, and the subsequent shockwave raised a cloud of smoke. "Truly pitiful", commented the Sternritter. Almost stunned with surprise, Shōdo reacted with delay. However, no counter-attack followed. He used Shunpo to retreat and stopped nearby the equally shocked Enodoriko. "Behold, the power given to me by the almighty -sama, the Emperor of the Vandenreich!", declared the Sternritter with exaltation. "I am Anders Schäfer, and I shall be your executioner!" He outstretched his right hand, and the sunrays glittered on the bracelet's silver surface. Suddenly, spiritual energy started gathering on it, slowly forming in the shape of a weapon. "Hadō #33, Sōkatsui!", exclaimed a disembodied voice. A blast of blue energy shot from behind the Seated Officers and flew further, hitting the Quincy and engulfing him in a large explosion. Both of them looked behind with surprise. A single Soul Reaper emerged from behind the pillar they had used as a hiding place minutes ago. "Tadayoshi-san!", shouted Kana with a faint smile. The 5th Seat Officer approached them quickly. He held his Zanpakutō in his hands, already released. "What the hell are you doing here?", asked Shōdo. "I've tried to catch him off-guard, but I don't think it did much", said Kurokawa with a stern expression. "You didn't answer me", complained Fudo. "You should still be in the medical centre", said Enodoriko with concern. "I can't just stay there and let you die like that", declared Tadayoshi. "You little... we've been doing fine until you showed up!", exclaimed Shōdo. Kurokawa ingored his words and assumed a fighting stance. "Get ready", he said simply. The other Seated Officers quickly turned around to face Schäfer, who had emerged from the smoke by then. He had some slight burns on his uniform and palms, and was in the process of wiping his left sleeve. "What a splendid technique", he stated after noticing he had drawn their attention. "So much like the holy flames of the Quincy, yet completely unable to overcome my Blut Vene." "We must attack all at once", suggested Fudo. "I've seen already how well that worked", said Kurokawa. "We don't have too many options, Tadayoshi-san", stated Enodoriko. The 5th Seat Officer sighed. Then, all of the Shinigami raised their Zanpakutōs, preparing for imminent battle. "Hadō #41, Raimei!", exclaimed Kurokawa. He placed his hand between the semi-circular blades of his sword, enhancing it with the technique. Subsequently, he made a swift, sweeping motion with the Zanpakutō, promptly releasing a devastating gust of wind. The potent airwave hit the Sternritter, who quickly covered himself with his cloak. Just as the wind dissipated, Kamisori Bōshi dashed at him with full speed. However, the Sternritter spread his cloak and deflected the rapidly rotating shuriken with his bare hand. Split second later he was attacked by Shōdo, who plunged at him engulfed in red flames. "Ryūsei!" The hammer struck Schäfer in his left shoulder. He disappeared in the resulting outburst of flames, and Fudo retreated quickly, unwilling to get caught into the explosion. "That should've toasted him a bit!", declared Fudo with a grin. "Watch out!", shouted Tadayoshi. Shōdo turned around his head to look at him, with a puzzled expression on his face. Then, a bolt of crackling energy shot from the large cloud of dust and hit him directly in the chest. The 3rd Seat Officer vanished in the explosion, and his burnt remains dispersed in all directions. His Zanpakutō crashed several metres away, breaking in half. Kurokawa stood dumbfounded, with his eyes widened to their limits. "Shōdo-saaaan!", screamed Enodoriko with despair. Suddenly, another bolt emerged from the smoke and struck as lightning. Kana looked with disbelief as her hand, still holding her Zanpakutō, landed on the granite tiles next to her, splattering with blood. She opened her mouth, but remained silent, and then fell limply at the ground, with only a loud thud breaking the deathly silence. Part 3 The smoke dissipated. Schäfer walked slowly and ominously toward the motionless, but shivering with rage Tadayoshi. The Sternritter held his right hand raised and outstretched, now sporting a big, ornate crossbow mounted on his forearm. "You son of a bitch!", yelled Kurokawa, infuriated. "Say your prayers, Shinigami, for you shall stand before the Divine Judgement shortly", declared the Sternritter with a gravely tone. "Bakudō #61, Rikujōkōrō!", exclaimed Tadayoshi as Schäfer was finishing his sentence. Six wide beams of yellow energy slammed into the Quincy's midsection, promptly immobilising him mid-step. The Sternritter looked at Kurokawa with a grim expression. "Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six!", recited the Shinigami quickly. Suddenly, the Bakudō's beams shone brightier and increased in size by a half. Then, Tadayoshi used Shunpo to gain some distance. He stopped about twenty five metres from the paralysed Quincy. "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man!", he declared, holding together his index and middle fingers. "On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens! Hadō #73, Sōren Sōkatsui!" A concentrated beam of light blue energy shot from his palms. It rapidly reached Schäfer, who could do nothing but stand motionless and take a direct hit. The spell exploded in a huge blast, devastating a large area around the Quincy. "Magnificent", heard Kurokawa from behind, sensing an unexpected appearance of a great spiritual power. He turned around rapidly, only to face Schäfer who stood right behind him, his crossbow raised and ready to shoot. His cloak was torn on its end and smoked slightly, but the Shinigami did not notice any other effects of his powerful attack. The enemy's Reiatsu emitted in waves, causing him to shiver. "I almost regret having to exterminate you, but I shall not falter", declared the Sternritter, charging a powerful bolt in his spiritual weapon. All of a sudden, Tadayoshi noticed a shadowy silhouette appearing silently behind Schäfer. He heard a quiet hiss, and the Quincy widened his eyes. Then, he disappeared in the blink of an eye, revealing the figure behind him. "Y... you!", exclaimed Kurokawa. "Long time no see", replied Ikiryō Kuragari, the recently reinstated member of the Second Division. He straightened up and cleaned the blood off his Shikai's claws with a sudden motion. He turned his head to look at the Sternritter, who observed him silently from afar. "The guy's no joke", stated Kuragari. "That should've cut him in half, but I merely scratched his back." "What are you doing here?", asked Tadayoshi perplexed. "Listen", responded Ikiryō looking him in the eyes. "The girl's alive. I've treated her, but I'm not the best medic around. We need to finish this quick, or she won't make it." Kurokawa's eyes widened even further. He was agitated, but he managed to suppress his emotions with some effort. "Why are you helping me?", he asked with confusion. "It's more about defeating that guy, but hey, I don't mind helping you in the process. Anyway, we should focus on the fight, shouldn't we?", replied Kuragari. "You can stay here and rest a bit, I'll keep him occupied. You are free to join whenever you want, just don't accidentally hit me", he added hurriedly. "Don't order me around!", protested Kurokawa. "I'm going." Then, Ikiryō disappeared with a barely audible sound. He stopped several metres in front of the Quincy, who calmly stood in one place all the time he was conversing with Tadayoshi. "Miserable Shinigami!", exclaimed Schäfer. "You are like moths! Hideous creatures of the dark, so hopelessly attracted to the purifying light which incinerates your sinful existence!" "So, you're one of the elite, correct?", asked Kuragari, ignoring his pompous words. "I am Sternritter "H", Anders Schäfer, given the designation "The Hailfire" by Juhabach-sama himself." "I am Ikiryō Kuragari, a... well... soldier of the Second Division." "I see", said the Quincy. "I do not remember you from the Daten we have received before the invasion. It means you cannot possibly be a high-ranking officer, yet I sense you possess considerable power. Are you ready to face your death with dignity?" "I've already faced death, and we didn't get along", replied Kuragari whilst assuming a fighting stance. Suddenly, he used Shunpo. Schäfer looked around and spotted him quickly, aiming his crossbow at him. The weapon promptly shot a charged bolt of spiritual energy. Ikiryō dodged, and the area where he had stood moments ago was engulfed in a blue, fiery explosion. Surprisingly collected, the Sternritter immediately found Kuragari and attacked him again. The Shinigami evaded, and ran away from another shot that came mere seconds later. He used Shunpo to repeatedly run around the stationary Schäfer, who did not bother to pursue his opponent. Kurokawa observed their duel with utmost concentration. He tried to discern patterns and find any potential weaknesses of the Quincy. While he constantly remained ready to dodge, Kuragari seemed to deliberately avoid putting him on the line. Ikiryō materialised not further than three metres from Schäfer. He jumped rapidly to evade the incoming attack. When the crackling bolt exploded on the ground, it caused a cloud of dust to rise. In the meantime, Kuragari plunged at the Sternritter, who simply raised his hand and shot once again. "Bōrei", whispered the Shinigami. The overcharged bolt phased through him harmlessly and flew toward the sky. Meanwhile, Ikiryō made a sweeping motion with his hand, preparing to strike. Schäfer had little time to react. "Bunkatsu Genjitsu!" Kuragari slashed violently, and a blade of undulating air extending from his armoured gauntlet cut the Sternritter. A spray of blood gushed in the air. All of a sudden, Schäfer disappeared. Ikiryō landed on the same spot where Quincy had stood seconds ago, and quickly turned to his left. He rebounded and jumped in the air, with a crackling bolt rapidly approaching him. The bolt cut his right arm, with a streak of blood following it. Just as Kuragari was about to stand on the ground, the Sternritter used Hirenkyaku to arrive several metres in front of him. "It seems I have judged your prowess correctly", he stated. "Consequently, I shall react with appropriate force." Then, he rapidly raised his right hand. A sudden surge of electricity appeared on his crossbow, which gathered into a big, glowing projectile. "Hagelfeuer", Schäfer declared. Part 4 The bullet fired, instantaneously dividing into a hundred miniature arrows which then spread out in many directions. Ikiryō utilised Shunpo to barely evade the attack. A second later the barrage resulted in a mass of small, simultaneous explosions over a large area. Kuragari stopped and turned around to face the Quincy. He aimed one of his hands at him, preparing to strike, but he noticed that his enemy had been already pointing his crossbow directly at him. "Hagelfeuer." Ikiryō's eyes widened. Then, a shower of glittering arrows engulfed him almost entirely. Tadayoshi lifted his sword and opened his mouth, ready to pronounce an incantation. However, Kuragari emerged still standing after the attack and promptly struck back. "Yami no Ibara!", he shouted. He shot a volley of spiritual energy bullets. Schäfer dodged and tried to counter-strike, but another barrage forced him to evade once again. Suddenly, Ikiryō appeared right next to Kurokawa. "You noticed anything?", he asked, panting slightly. He was cut in a dozen different places, and his torn Shihakushō was stained with blood. Despite that, Kuragari seemed to completely ignore his wounds. "His Reiatsu signature changes whenever he switches from offence to defence", stated Tadayoshi quickly. "He can focus only on one thing at a time." "Good, I was right then", replied Ikiryō, all the time cautiously observing the Sternritter who once more stood motionless in the distance. "I saw his blood vessels glowing with Reiryoku." "We have been wasting time long enough!", exclaimed Schäfer all of a sudden. "It is imperative I execute you at once and proceed on my holy mission." Saying this, he raised his right hand and pointed his crossbow at the sky. Then, it was engulfed with powerful electrical discharges, which seemed to concentrate at the tip of the weapon's barrel. "Hagel", declared the Quincy. "Shit", uttered Kuragari whilst grabbing Kurokawa by his arm. A blindingly shining orb of energy shot upward. It stopped about thirty metres above the ground and promptly exploded with a thunderous sound. Ikiryō dragged the other Shinigami behind a fallen pillar, using Shunpo to outpace the attack. Just as they hid behind the pillar, a heavy rain of glowing projectiles bombarded the entire area, showering it with fiery explosions. "Basically, I need to strike when he's attacking", resumed Kuragari. "Can you distract him for a while?" Tadayoshi hesitated. "I think...", he replied eventually. "Great", said Ikiryō with a wry smile. "Ghost of the midnight black, disperse into darkness and hide from your persecutors. Bakudō #26, Kyokkō", he recited. Subsequently, the Shinigami vanished in the blink of an eye. Kurokawa was mildly surprised, but he did not forget about his task. He lifted his Zanpakutō and placed his hand between its curved blades. "Hadō #55, Chikyū o Musabori." Right after his sword absorbed the spell, Tadayoshi rapidly jumped from behind the pillar. When Schäfer turned his head in Kurokawa's direction, he struck the ground with his Zanpakutō. The earth around the Sternritter cracked with a roar. Suddenly, two giant plates of rock rose up and closed on him, crushing him in-between with great force. A mere second later, however, the flat boulders blew up and the Quincy emerged from the cloud of dust seemingly unscathed. His hand was lifted, and a shining bolt rested ready to fire in his crossbow's barrel. Tadayoshi used Shunpo. He did not see the shot coming, but he felt its heat on his right side. He stopped several metres further and took a quick glance at his injury. His uniform on the side was incinerated, but his body suffered only a superficial, if large burn. Schäfer aimed at him with an ominous grimace on his face. Then, a shadow materialised behind him. There was a thud, and the Sternritter widened his eyes. "Got'cha", declared Kuragari as his Kidō shroud dissipated. Shi no Hōyō's claws sunk into the Quincy's back, and blood slowly started dripping on the scorched earth below. Schäfer turned his head around to look at the Shinigami standing behind him. He examined his wound with composure, and after that gazed directly into Ikiryō's eyes. "And you still struggle foolishly to defeat me", he said with a grave tone. "Since my words do not seem to appeal to you, perhaps a showcase of brutal power will be more understandable." Perplexed, Ikiryō pulled away his hand and utilised Shunpo. He appeared near to the confused Tadayoshi a half second later, with a grim expression on his face. "This is bad", he whispered. The air around the Quincy started undulating. The ground began shining, and then its surface dispersed into a myriad of glowing particles which rapidly gathered on his body. His cloak became a vast cape, the crossbow was enlarged and rebuilt, and a high collar surrounded his head. Then, a pair of spreading wings formed on his back, and a reversed, auxiliary one appeared directly beneath it. "Bardiel", declared Schäfer with exaltation as an oddly shaped halo materialised over his head. The sky was darkened and shrouded with murky clouds. The first drops of the rain started falling. Kuragari dashed forward. As he was closing distance to the Sternritter his silhouette became blurry, and several afterimages came out of his body and rapidly spread out. Within a span of a second there were a dozen Ikiryōs, all rushing at the stationary Quincy from different direction each. Suddenly, all of them jumped in the air. "Yami no Ibara!", they shouted in a choir. A barrage of spiritual energy bullets struck Schäfer, who merely covered himself with his Reishi wings. He spread them quickly and lifted his enhanced crossbow. Its barrel glowed and a volley of glittering arrows burst forth. "Bōrei!", announced the squad of spectres. Shining projectiles phased through them harmlessly. The group landed around the Quincy and swung their left hands. "Bunkatsu Genjitsu!", they yelled. They slashed instantaneously at the same time. There was a loud hiss of a violently cut air. Schäfer vanished. Part 5 Kuragaris raised their heads. The Sternritter levitated above, with his spirit weapon pointed at the ground. It emitted a crackling sound. A large, electrified arrow shot downward. When it struck the ground there was a surprisingly powerful explosion. The entire squad of afterimage Shinigami was caught in it. "Kuragari!", shouted Tadayoshi. Unexpectedly, a single figure emerged from the cloud of dust. It flew a significant distance, fell on the ground, bounced off once and then slided metres before it stopped. It was Ikiryō. He counteracted the impetus with his clawed gauntlets and stood up quickly, but with a visible sway. "There's no, way, we can defeat, him like, that", he stated, panting heavily. His Shihakushō was tattered, and his skin singed. He was covered with ash and dried blood from head to toe. "Remember, how I, defeated you?", he asked, turning around to face Kurokawa. The 5th Seat hesitated. Eventually, he nodded. "Good", responded Kuragari with an enforced smile. "We do the same, to him. Bind and attack. Give it all, you've got." "You can count on me", said Tadayoshi, surprising even himself. "Fools!" A shower of shining death rained upon them. Ikiryō plunged at Kurokawa and dragged him away with incredible speed. A continuous volley of spiritual arrows blasted the place they had just left, virtually pulverising it. "There is no escape from the Divine Judgement!", exclaimed Schäfer. Still hovering high above their heads, he turned around and fired a big projectile. When it hit, fifty square metres of the area were blown to smithereens. "Even the most meagre shadows shall be erased by my holy light!", he continued, charging another shot. "Enkōsen!", said Kuragari. "Enkōsen!", followed Kurokawa. Two gleaming shields of condensed energy stood on the way of the incoming attack. The powerful explosion utterly destroyed them and engulfed the Shinigami. Both of them were sent flying metres away, burnt and smoking. Shortly after hitting the ground, they slowly stood up. Then, they noticed Schäfer landing nearby and walking unhurriedly toward them. "Ready?", asked Ikiryō. "Ready", confirmed Tadayoshi. Kuragari swung his hand. "Bakudō #9, Hōrin!", he shouted. An orange tendril of energy burst from his outstretched hand and rapidly wrapped around the incoming Quincy. "Bakudō #61, Rikujōkōrō!", exclaimed Kurokawa. Six wide arcs of light pinned the enemy's mid-section. "Bakudō #63, Sajō Sabaku!", screamed Ikiryō. He bound the intrigued Sternritter with a gold-glittering chain of spiritual energy, restraining him even further. "Black sun, starless night, cold void. Overwhelm and bind the malefactors for all eternity. Bakudō #79, Kuyō Shibari!", shouted Tadayoshi. Eight black orbs with purple outlines one after another surrounded the immobilised Quincy. Suddenly, the ninth one appeared on his chest, completing the spell. Afterward, Kurokawa jumped back, substantially increasing the distance between him and the opponent. Kuragari followed almost immediately. "Ye lord! Weep at the transgressions of your wretched creations!", started Tadayoshi as he raised both of his hands outstretched. Schäfer started struggling with his constraints. They began to flicker, and Rikujōkōrō slowly evaporated. "Let your sacred tears purify their sins and cleanse the world from the impure!", continued Kurokawa, lifting one hand higher and pointing at the sky. Ground around the Quincy started tearing and converting into spiritual energy. Sajō Sabaku fluttered and dispersed. "Make their evil dissolve into nothingness! Hadō #86, Shinsei Namida!", yelled Tadayoshi. There was a brief, but nearly blinding flash beyond the shroud of stormy clouds. Schäfer raised his head. Then, a giant bullet of blue light fell from the sky with tremendous speed and struck him in an instant. Enormous explosion of blazing light. The Shinigami were momentarily deafened by its roar, and the powerful shockwave sent them flying. The area was practically pulverised, and a remarkably tall cloud of dust and smoke began to rise toward the crying heavens. Tadayoshi tried to stand up, but fell on his knees, drained of energy and shivering from exhaustion. He lifted his head and looked forward. He knew the Sternritter was still there. Slowly, as the incredible amount of smoke was cleared by the rain, Schäfer emerged from the cloud. He straightened up, and the tips of his wings were gradually reforming. The high collar of his singed uniform was nowhere to be seen. "An admirable effort", he whispered with an ominous grin. As he was raising his hand, a shadowy figure passed right next to him. It had vanished before the Sternritter was able to react, and then materialised not too far away from Kurokawa. "You don't mind?", said Kuragari, holding a round object in his left palm. The Quincy's eyes widened. "No!", he screamed in vain. Ikiryō promptly crushed the strange medallion and stomped on its remains. "Great job", he whispered to Tadayoshi who observed him with confusion. Suddenly, Kuragari's Reiatsu virtually exploded around him, enveloping him with a vast, shadowy aura of indigo colour. He flexed his muscles and slanted slightly. A gust of wind burst forth, prompting Kurokawa to cover his face. When he looked at the other Shinigami again, Ikiryō was engulfed by a nearly black tempest of swirling energy. Then, Kuragari slammed his palms in front of his face. "Bankai!", he exclaimed. Part 6 A pillar of Reiryoku shot toward the sunless sky. When it rapidly reached the shroud of stormy clouds, it seemingly started to spill its blackness on them, completely obscuring them from view. The darkness fell down like a curtain, enclosing the fighters with a vast dome of jet black Reiatsu. Whole background became murky and featureless. Colours faded out. The noise of the distant battle ceased. Shadows expanded and began flickering, as if alive. At last, Ikiryō emerged from the cyclone of spiritual energy which dissipated into the omnipresent darkness. He was now clad in a light armour of ebony colour adorned with some silver ornaments. His gauntlets increased in size severalfold, and each of their claw-like fingers ended with a sharp tip as long as a tantō's blade. A vast cape surrounded him, torn and blowing in the breeze even though there was no wind. "Sonzai no Yūgure", declared Kuragari. Tadayoshi observed with awe, utterly silent. Schäfer looked around, cautiously examining his surroundings. The first signs of trepidation appeared on his solemn face. Raindrops were still falling from the black welkin, but there was no sound. "As long as there is light", said Ikiryō with a grave tone. "There are always shadows lurking in the corners." "Silence!", shouted the Sternritter. He fired a big bolt of energy. Kuragari dodged it with Shunpo, and disappeared once again when another shot came a split second later. When the third bolt rushed toward him, he swung his hand and smashed into glittering bits. "Yami no Ibara!", he exclaimed, pointing fingers of the other hand at the Quincy. The bullets of dark Reiryoku glowed with a faint indigo aura, several times larger than the ones used in Shikai. Properly judging their power, Schäfer utilised Hirenkyaku to jump high into the air to avoid them. Just as he raised his head, Ikiryō punched him with terrible force. The Sternritter shot downward and hit the ground like a missile. Kurokawa felt the ground shaking on impact. Nevertheless, the cloud of dust had barely started raising as a volley of spiritual energy arrows burst forth. Kuragari landed nearby in the blink of an eye. Schäfer rapidly emerged from the shroud of smoke, his crossbow pointed at the Shinigami. "Hagelfeuer!" Ikiryō's vast cape encased him with a spherical shield of darkness in an instant. Then, he was entirely submerged in a shower of dozens of explosive bolts. The barrage continued for several seconds; the earth shook once again, and Tadayoshi covered his eyes because of the blinding glow. The attack stopped. The shield of purple-black withstood the assault and unfolded into the cape right after the smoke cleared off. Schäfer's eyes widened. "Bunkatsu Genjitsu!", shouted Kuragari whilst slashing with his left hand. A ripple in the reality appeared momentarily, emitting a screeching, piercing sound. When it dissipated, blood suddenly gushed in the air - a long, deep wound opened on the Quincy's right thigh and continued up to his shoulder, almost severing his hand. The Sternritter opened his mouth, speechless, and fell rigidly on his knees. "Let us finish this at once", declared Ikiryō sternly, lifting his hand to strike. "Bunkatsu Gen...!" He vanished in an unexpected explosion. Nonetheless, he emerged from it a second later, sliding roughly on the ground backward. He stopped eventually and slightly leant forward. Schäfer stood up, but with an artificial, stiff movement that seemed as if he was pulled by some invisible strings. His white uniform was stained with sickening amount of blood, and his right hand basically floated rigidly in position to fire. "I shall not... disappoint... Juhabach-sama!", he stated with a harsh tone distorted by a great pain. Kuragari coughed up blood on the ground in front of him and raised his head to look at his opponent. "You still standing?", he asked with his eyes narrowing into slits. "I guess I didn't hit you hard enough. I should rectify my mistake." Suddenly, spiritual energy started gathering in the Quincy's crossbow's barrel, emitting surges of electricity in the process. A grimace appeared on Kuragari's face, who then lifted both of his hands toward the sky. "Yami no Shokushu-shin!", he exclaimed with ferocity. His cape expanded instantaneously. Nearby shadows elongated and fused with it, forming an ever swelling shroud of darkness. Writhing tentacles of pitch black began emerging from the amorphous mass. Schäfer used Hirenkyaku to immediately increase the distance between him and the Shinigami. Sweat and blood dribbled from his forehead, but his expression remained focused and determined. Tadayoshi observed them attentively, far enough to feel relatively safe from the immenent clash. Then, Ikiryō swung his hand at the enemy. "Go!", he yelled. The tendrils of darkness dashed forward with frightening spead, reaching toward Schäfer as if they were alive. The Quincy's crossbow blazed with fire. Volleys of overcharged bolts struck at the incoming mass of black tentacles, showering them with incessant explosions. One after another the tendrils were pulverised, but new ones were appearing in their place, forming from the omnipresent shadows and rushing forth with unrelenting persistence. Resistance was futile. The tentacles promptly surrounded the Sternritter and started to fervently envelop him. "Oh mein Gott...", whispered Schäfer as they were wrapping around his dread-puckered face. Then, he was completely immersed in the darkness. The tangible shadows formed a giant sphere around him, and everything became dead silent. "Higure", heard Kurokawa faintly. In the blink of an eye the sphere imploded and contracted, shrinking to a one metre diameter virtually in an instant. Schäfer's Reiatsu vanished. Part 7 "I think he won't get up this time", said Ikiryō pallidly. The sphere dissolved and released the remains of the Sternritter. Tadayoshi observed with surprise as colours returned to the world, the falling raindrops resumed their dripping and the blackness obscuring the heavens receded into nothingness. Then, he turned his head to look at Kuragari. Ikiryō stood slanted forward, with his hands dangling almost limply. His Bankai dissolved, and only his sealed wakizashi remained in his left hand. He was covered with cuts and blood, and breathed slowly and heavily. Suddenly, he glanced at Kurokawa with a wry, if faint smile. "I got him good, didn't I?", he asked. "Hell yes", replied Tadayoshi weakly. Kuragari sheathed his Zanpakutō and walked toward him. He leant and lent the 5th Seat his hand, helping him to stand up. "No time to celebrate", he stated, looking anxiously to the side. "I sense a large squad of enemies approaching us. I'm not in the shape to fight anymore, so we need to hide." "How? And what about Enodoriko?", asked Kurokawa with agitation. Ikiryō simply grabbed his arm and dragged him away with Shunpo. They stopped a significant distance further. Kana laid behind the ruins of a destroyed building. The stump of her right hand was bandaged with a torn cloth. She was unconscious, but still alive. Kuragari lifted her from the ground with little effort and put her on his shoulder. Then, he put his hand on Tadayoshi's back. "Bakudō #26, Kyokkō", he declared. The world became black and white. "I apologise for being so intimate, but it won't work otherwise", said Ikiryō to Kurokawa. Soon afterward a group of soldiers clad in white uniforms appeared, with their faces obscured by masks with goggles. They hurriedly explored the area, obviously seeking something. "Where is Schäfer-dono? We must retreat at once!", said one of them. "His Reiatsu was there, I'm sure I felt it", replied another. "Hey, there! Look at this!" They moved away from the motionless Shinigami who remained relatively safe under the spell's protection. "Are you sure... this... is Schäfer-dono?", a distant voice asked. "Here... it's his cross..." "Meine Güte!" "Listen men, we must fall back immediately. We'll report that later." "Yes, sir!" The Quincy troops left quickly, relieving the hidden Soul Reapers. Kuragari moved his hand away and dispelled the Bakudō. "Did we win the battle?", asked Tadayoshi with uncertainty. "I don't think so", responded Kuragari with a grimace. "Anyway, let's go to the barracks. We all need medical attention." Kurokawa hesitated for a moment. Ikiryō glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. "I... thank you for your help", uttered Tadayoshi with reluctance. "Likewise", replied Kuragari with a wry smile. "Now let's go." The Shinigami took their road toward the 4th Division barracks, moving slowly and unsteadily. The rain stopped, and the murky clouds dispersed. End of Chapter Category:Fanfiction